With Sony releasing a two new mirrorless full frame cameras it takes me one step closer to believing the "Canon is falling behind" hype we read on other forums. So I did some checking.

Canon's R&D spending peaked about two years ago, last year it dropped 12 to 14% and it was lower last year than it was 2011. Looking at the mid year financials it looks like R&D will drop again this year, it appears to be 25% under 2012. As someone who believed in Canon as an investor in the past it concerns me now. Right now I have no stock, I think it is still to shaky to get back in. With the P&S market dying and less R&D it makes me wonder will the be ahead again.

A few other things that I think are of concern when it comes to my lens and camera investment. When the 5D III and the 1D X were released it seemed Canon rushed these bodies out to answer Nikons latest selection. When they did Canon had went a different direction than Nikon. At the time it appeared that possibly Canon had ideas that may work out to be better than Nikon's, their were improvements but were these improvements just the best they could do?

Then there is video, it seems all of the latest releases have been geared more toward video than photography. Even the new sensors and new AF system seem to be designed for the videographer not the photographer. It makes me think that Canon is not focusing very hard on photography improvements unless they go in hand with video.

Then the Rumor Mill site seems to be dead ( or not very active) this year. Rumors are few and far between and no announcements expected till next year. If R&D was taking place wouldn't there be a few leaks?

Should we be concerned yet?
Should we be comparing Nikon lenses to see if they would be good enough?
Will there be a EOS M II?
Will there ever be a 7D II?